The present invention relates to a recording start position setting device for use with tape recording apparatus.
A recording start position setting device has been proposed in which a recording start position is automatically determined in such a manner, that, upon detecting the trailing edge of a recorded segment on a magnetic tape, or the starting edge of a non-recorded segment, a cue operation is implemented for a predetermined period of time, and thereafter a halt instruction is issued to halt the control operation. Thus, a blank or inter-music portion is formed following a previously recorded segment, or the recording start position is set not on the leader tape, but on the magnetic tape. However, this prior art device involves drawbacks, for example, the length of the blank or inter-music portion is not constant because the tape running speed during the cue operation varies depending upon the radius of the tape being wound. Furthermore, since the length of the leader tape is not constant, it has been necessary to preset the time for continuing the cue operation to longer than the time actually needed, in order to ensure the setting of the recording start position on the magnetic tape portion. As a result, the portion of unused magnetic tape becomes considerably long.
Furthermore, when the above-described prior art device has been used in a tape recorder capable of performing bidirectional recording and playback, it has been necessary if a non-recorded portion does not exist on the track on which the recording start position is intended to be set, to once again instruct the device to implement the recording start position setting operation after switching the operational mode of the tape recorder from a forward directional mode to a reverse directional mode, or vice versa. Such an operational procedure is complicated and troublesome. It is preferred that recording start position setting be quickly and surely carried out.